Studies related to multitasking have shown that people typically process one task less efficiently when coupled with other tasks (see, e.g., “Cognitive Control in Media Multitaskers” by Ophir and Wagner, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2009). Ophir and Wagner found that media related multitasking was distinct from normal multitasking, and caused users switching between activities to perform worse than during normal multitasking. Terms such as cognitive distraction, distracted driving, distracted walking, visual distraction, and manual distraction describe the ways in which people lose focus or the ability to provide a timely response to a situation to which they would otherwise be able to respond, due to an additional task.
Conversely, studies have shown that movement can stimulate the functionality of the brain, (see, e.g., “Exercise and the brain: something to chew on” by Van Praag, National Institute of Health, Trends in Neuroscience, 2009). Van Praag finds that optimal maintenance and brain health may depend on exercise and intake of natural products. Furthermore feedback and assistance while multitasking can be used to stimulate better coordination of movement and any additional tasks. The benefits of movement related to coordination, exercise, and physiotherapy are numerous, including stimulated muscle memory and reflexes due to repetitive movements involving hand-eye coordination, improved health due to weight loss or lowered blood pressure, increased longevity, restoration of function and movement, and the treatment, healing and prevention of injuries or disabilities. Studies show that increasing numbers of people are living sedentary lifestyles (See e.g. “Amount of Time Spent in Sedentary Behaviors in the United States, 2003-2004” by Charles E. Matthews et. al., American Journal of Epidemiology, 2008). In his study, Matthews found evidence that most Americans, both male and female over the ages of 6-11 now spend over 50% of their time in sedentary behaviors. This is at least partially related to the drawbacks of the information age, in which many people learn, create or conduct business, or are entertained all from a stationary position while observing monitors on their televisions and computers.
While inventions exist that allow movement while creating such as the laptop computer, movement while reading or learning such as tablet processors, or movement while being entertained such as virtual reality headsets like the Vuzix wrap 230 eyewear product, none of these devices are designed specifically for use while moving, and none of them are designed to provide feedback to the user or assistance to the user specifically related to that movement. A system method or apparatus specifically designed to allow the user to process, by learning, creating, or being entertained; while moving through coordination, exercise, or physiotherapy; and that aids the user in providing feedback or assistance related to that movement, processing, or any combination thereof; has the potential of being a boon to society.
Furthermore studies have shown that the average human attention span fell from 12 minutes in 1998 to just 5 minutes in 2008 (See e.g. “Stress of Modern Life Cuts Attention Spans to Five Minutes” by Moore, The Telegraph, Nov. 8, 2008) Moore cites a Lloyds TSB Insurance Study which also found that adults over 50 were able to concentrate for younger periods of time than younger people, suggesting that our media heavy and increasingly sedentary lifestyles may be taking its toll on younger generations. If these trends progress they could have potentially devastating effects on the future of our society. Conversely studies have shown that people are capable of longer attention spans when they are doing something they find enjoyable or intrinsically motivating. (See e.g. Dukette, Cornish The Essential 20: Twenty Components of an Excellent Health Care Team. RoseDog Books. 2009) Dukette and Cornish's study shows that attention spans for sustained attention to a freely chosen task range from about 5 minutes in a two-year-old child, to a maximum of 20 minutes in adults. An invention, that ergonomically incorporates the brains processing of external media with movement and exercise, could be revolutionary in a classroom, simulation, or work setting. An area devoted to such movement could be used as an energy efficient training facility, exercise and learning room, or meditation and rehabilitation area.